Lady Soul

The singing here isn’t technically perfect—the roots of what would become Franklin’s unwavering campaign of melody obliteration are evident—unless we’re speaking emotionally, in which case there’s not a wrong note. “Chain of Fools” (inspired by the lines of cotton pickers songwriter Don Covay saw growing up in the south) was the biggest hit and “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman,” written by the husband and wife team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, became an enduring gender anthem, but it’s a testament to Franklin that these songs sound unwritten, as if they didn’t exist until she opened her mouth and gave them life. Even her cover of the Young Rascals’ throwaway “Groovin'” is transcendent.